U.S. forces started a mine-clearance mission in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, with USS Frank E. Peterson and USS Michael Murphy transiting the strategic waterway, according to U.S. Central Command.
CENTCOM said the two guided-missile destroyers operated in the Arabian Gulf as part of a broader mission to ensure the passage is clear of sea mines that the command said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps previously laid.
Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, said, “Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to encourage the free flow of commerce.”
President Donald Trump also referenced the operation in a Truth Social post Saturday morning, writing, “We’re now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz as a favor to Countries all over the World.”
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy corridors. Analysis from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas has warned that major disruption there could put roughly one-fifth of global oil supply at risk.
The Strait of Hormuz handles about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, making any disruption there a major concern for energy markets and global trade. Reuters reported that three supertankers exited the Gulf through the strait on Saturday as U.S.-Iran talks began in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Iran also reportedly warned through Pakistani mediators that U.S. vessels entering the strait could be targeted, according to secondary reporting cited by the New York Post.
CENTCOM said additional U.S. forces, including underwater drones, will join the clearance effort in the coming days.
